Exercising Barefoot = Wider Feet?

alyssarof2012
alyssarof2012 Posts: 33 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Would exercising without shoes cause your feet to get wider/spread out?

Just wondering. :)

Replies

  • crawlingfish
    crawlingfish Posts: 29 Member
    not that I know of- I've heard that its actually quite good for you to run barefoot.

    this may be a tangent, but i recommend the book Born To Run if youre interested. it talks about the barefoot running debate and the tarahumara, a native tribe of "super runners" that never wore shoes.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    I lift barefoot. My feet still fit into the same shoes as they did pre lifting.
  • minnie_mousse
    minnie_mousse Posts: 9 Member
    I don't believe so. You might feel that way initially but some people have actually noticed an increase in arch height after barefoot footware use during exercise/running.

    see this post: http://www.drnicksrunningblog.com/two-year-long-case-study-demonstrating-an-increase-in-arch-height-from-running-in-minimalist-shoes/
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Just like elephant trunks grow from pulling on them.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    I've been dancing barefoot (contemporary dance) for 19 years, and still have small and narrow feet.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    yes it will. that's what explains the oversized feet of our ancestors.



    feet.jpg
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,519 Member
    My podiatrist told me to wear shoes at ALL times. When I didn't have proper arch support, I did develop stress fractures.

    I had custom orthotics made and rarely go barefoot. If you aren't experiencing pain when barefoot, you are probably okay. You'll know if you start to have issues.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I lift barefoot, do HIIT barefoot...anything that isn't outside I do barefoot...and yes that includes being in the kitchen:bigsmile:

    My feet are actually smaller now...(weight loss)...

    Now my son on the other hand who as a young boy needed inserts for his high instep wears good shoes working out.
  • Tanya949
    Tanya949 Posts: 604 Member
    My feet hurt just reading this LOL I've had several bouts of plantar faschiitis over the years, and pronation. I finally have some orthotics that help. But I still cannot walk barefoot, even in the house.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    My feet were also corrected as a baby. I still have issues from my feet. But I dance barefoot and it does not make my feet wider.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    My podiatrist told me to wear shoes at ALL times. When I didn't have proper arch support, I did develop stress fractures.

    I had custom orthotics made and rarely go barefoot. If you aren't experiencing pain when barefoot, you are probably okay. You'll know if you start to have issues.

    Just the kind of thing I'd expect to hear from Big Podiatry.
  • alyssarof2012
    alyssarof2012 Posts: 33 Member
    Thank you all for the replies! I tried it. My feet hurt a little, but it was bearable. I have an arch that's not like, super high, but it isn't low either. Kind of in the middle. I am "pigeon-toed" so my outer ankle and part of my calf hurt pretty bad when I walk. This is made worse when wearing shoes. So I was just making sure it was alright.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    Yeah, I was severely pigeon toed (that's not the medical term). My legs and feet were completely turned in. It was corrected with casts and shoes. One of my daughters needed the same treatment.
  • ATT949
    ATT949 Posts: 1,245 Member
    Would exercising without shoes cause your feet to get wider/spread out?

    Just wondering. :)

    Yes, there is a tendency for this. I'm reading Jay Dicharry's book on anatomy for runners and he touches on this. Personally, I've seen this happen over the past few years.

    I have been self-employed for many years and I rarely wear shoes. As a runner (3 years next month), I have seen my feet get wider. Due to weight loss, many of my shoes are too wide for me now but there's no question that my toes "splay".
  • miss_jessiejane
    miss_jessiejane Posts: 2,819 Member
    I don't know. I'm just in to read other responses.
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
    I've been dancing barefoot (contemporary dance) for 19 years, and still have small and narrow feet.

    What contemporary bare feet dancing might look like.

    200.gif
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    I've been dancing barefoot (contemporary dance) for 19 years, and still have small and narrow feet.

    What contemporary bare feet dancing might look like.

    200.gif

    :laugh:
  • ElBriano
    ElBriano Posts: 10 Member
    In the past two years my foot has gained a size-a size and a half. My podiatrist said it is not uncommon as we age for some people's feet to spread out and to see some increase from exercise that puts pressure on the feet.
  • alyssarof2012
    alyssarof2012 Posts: 33 Member
    @ATT949 Thanks for the response. I'll have to read that book or find more about it somewhere. Do you where wide width shoes,narrow, or regular ?
  • alyssarof2012
    alyssarof2012 Posts: 33 Member
    Lol
  • alyssarof2012
    alyssarof2012 Posts: 33 Member
    @ELBriano You exercise barefoot?


    I decided exercising barefoot is not for me, not only because of my concern about wider feet, but also because it turns out my arches DO hurt (quite a bit) when I exercise barefoot. After about 3 or 4 days of exercising without shoes my feet hurt all the time. My feet (especially the arches) seem cramped, stiff, and get really painful when I walk now. When I just wake up and get out of bed the pain is pretty bad. It lessens as I continue to walk throughout the day, but when I try to exercise without shoes on I can't last more than 5 minutes.
    So I'm just going to do yoga until I can buy some good workout shoes, which should be soon.
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
    not that I know of- I've heard that its actually quite good for you to run barefoot.

    this may be a tangent, but i recommend the book Born To Run if youre interested. it talks about the barefoot running debate and the tarahumara, a native tribe of "super runners" that never wore shoes.

    On grass or something similar. Not on concrete.
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
    39b6a201d8808d5a9ce084e1bb3bc4fa6b0bfecaefc8d941b37dc23fb4e10b88.jpg

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